Frank Isola
Appearances
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
What's up, man? What's up? I like that introduction. You know, you sound like you had to give the always happy to have him. That means that you probably called some other guests. They couldn't make it. So here I am.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And hang on a second. Is he the one that got you involved in soccer? I saw you throw out a tweet. Was that on Sunday, maybe? Yeah. Byron. That was it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, the Bayern-Dormant game. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was good.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
in soccer uh makes it a more appealing watch than ever before for me all right so during the um the houston duke game i i taped it and then i re-watched it then at the end with 127 to go houston was at the free throw line they made i think two free throws and kelvin samson called timeout so from that point until the end of the game the final 87 seconds included four timeouts
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Three replay reviews, and it took 25 minutes. It was insanity. I think that is a big problem. Certainly, the NBA has it as well. One quick soccer thing, which you'll appreciate. So last year, a buddy of mine who lives in London tells me that Harry Wilson, who's from Wales... and plays for Fulham, is a huge NBA fan.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
He said he's going to be over there once the season is over, and that'll be during the Eastern Conference Finals. And he thinks there's a chance either the Knicks or the Celtics could be in the Conference Finals. Can you get him tickets? So, of course, I always promise things, which I know I really can't deliver. So I was like, yeah, I could get him tickets. So sure enough, he ends up coming over.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And by then, Boston had been in it. So who am I going to call for tickets? And I'm willing to buy them. I call up your good buddy, Brian Scalabrini. Brian says, how big of a player is he? I said, I think he's pretty big. So Brian gets his seats. We're third row on the baseline, right behind, a couple of rows behind Donnie Wahlberg. It's game one of the conference finals. What happens?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Jalen Brown hits the big shot at the end of regulation. Game goes into overtime. Indiana blew that game, obviously. Boston wins it. The So he becomes friendly with Brian. I become more friendly with him. We actually had him on radio after he had scored two late goals. He came in as a sub, tied the matchup, and then won it late, like in the 95th minute. We have him on radio. Huge NBA fan.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Think about this. And for the NBA, they have to love stuff like this. The kid's from Wales. He's playing in the Liverpool Academy. He's living in somebody's house who doesn't really even know. They're just housing him. He is able to... Through the internet, he becomes in love with the NBA. He loves Oklahoma City, the teams with Kevin Durant and those guys.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
So I actually told him, I said, why don't you do this? Since you love the NBA, incorporate a basketball-themed kind of goal celebration. I kid you not, Ryan. That weekend they're playing. I have the video. He scores a goal. I'm like, he's not going to do it. He runs into the corner and does that thing where they slide. Grenade? I'm sorry? A grenade and then hands over the ears? He did the...
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
the two guns into the grenade. He runs and slides. Two minutes later, he scores again and he runs to the corner and he does like a James Harden dribbling between the legs and shoots like a jumper. And guess what? The goal ends up getting called back, but what do I care? I tape, I'm now rewinding it. I tape it off of TV and I post it on Twitter.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And within five minutes, you know, copyright with NBC, my account gets suspended. I gotta like, you know, agree to that I made a mistake and did all this stuff. And my account got reestablished. But how about that? I almost created a goal celebration in the Premier League. I'm helping out the NBA, making it even more of a global sport. That is fantastic.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Well, all right. So let me ask both of you guys this. And it goes back to the Michael Malone thing. So Arsenal, which is owned by the Kroenke family, they're about to play the biggest game that they've played in years. That was that home game last week against Arsenal. Yeah. And that day they fired Michael Malone.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Like they have so much, like how did they decide that that was the day when later in the day, one of the other teams they own is about to have like a big game. It was like worlds were colliding. So the Cronkies, which, you know, they've won a championship, what in football, American football with the Rams and obviously the Avalanche have done well. The Nuggets won a couple of years ago.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Now they're about what, you know, three wins or at least getting to a Champions League final and maybe winning. So the Cronkies are doing all right for themselves.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
It's weird, too. I definitely think and you know, there's going to be more international owners of NBA teams coming pretty soon, especially like, you know, from the Middle East, maybe Saudi Arabia, that that could eventually happen. But there definitely is a bias towards these American owners that own these teams, especially the teams in England. It's pretty interesting how that always plays out.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I think before the season, I had Denver and Boston. So I still, that still could happen. Obviously, a lot's going to have to happen for it to be Denver. But come on, man. You know, what helps is they're relatively healthy. The season, you know, the playoffs get stretched out. You're not playing every other night. And they still got the best player in the league. Did you like that prediction?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
other than okc the best team in the nba in the last two months what are they going with eight straight wins and you know it's funny so when the season began and i've known jeff and i think you and i went over this once before you know i i was there when he first got the nick job so i've remained close to him he's done he was great like kind of educating all the writers on just you know basketball and the nba but we were always joking around on radio at the start of the year
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I kept referring to the Clippers' big three, because Kawhi wasn't playing yet. I said it was Harden, Ty Lue, and Jeff Van Gundy. That's the big three of the Clippers. And Jeff has done a great job with them defensively. So a few weeks ago, they came to Brooklyn.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And I was, you know, I said this before during our pre-production meeting about three hours ago, I had like the NBA equivalent of Haley's Comet. I got to see Anthony Davis play on a Monday, which was his first game back in 18 games. And then Kawhi Leonard played on a Friday and Kawhi that night, scored 25 in the first half, and he absolutely dominated the game on the defensive end.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I was like, everyone knows that he's a great player, but when you see it and you see it in person, it just strikes you differently. And I texted Scalabrini, who I think was in Memphis with the Celtics that night, and I just said, Kawhi is an absolute stud. And Brian said, you can make the case sometimes when you watch him play that he's the best player in the league.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And believe me, that was one of the best performances for a half that I had seen in a long time. 25 points with ease. And Ryan, on the defensive end, guys were bouncing off him. And he's like a ball hawk out there. I mean, it was amazing the job that he was doing defensively. And that's why the schedule works for him.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
But come on, it's hard to go all in on the Clippers because we've seen it before. Like, You know, the last time he got hurt, he dominated the game against Phoenix, and then he gets hurt, and then he's done, and then you don't see him forever. If he's healthy, they're going to be a tough team to beat, but that's always the question mark.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
You know what? I think that one is going to get a little spicy. First of all, you have a coach and he may don't go. Who knows the Warriors? Remember a couple of years ago? In fact, I could have taken a 3-1 lead against the against the Warriors during the NBA finals until Steph became Steph in the fourth quarter. of that game for what I like about email.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I mean, over the last couple of years, he's mixed it up with both LeBron and Steph Curry. I mean, which is, you know, most people don't, most players don't go after guys like that. You have the coach of Houston. I think it's going to be a really physical series. Number one, because I think that's the way Houston is going to play. You got Dylan Brooks. You got, uh, Draymond green.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I still think the experience of the warriors, plus the fact, you know, winning on a Tuesday and then having this time off before they have to play game one is important, but I think what's going to be something that could factor into this series, especially, but certainly the playoffs, you know, what Joe Dumar is leaving.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
the head of basketball operations at the NBA, the one that hands out the punishment when things happen, and all these coaches call up after every game complaining, Joe's not there. And they haven't named a successor. Behind the scenes, what's going on at the NBA is going to be real interesting, how this plays out in the playoffs.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Because we know, Ryan, at some point during the playoffs, whether Draymond Green stomping on Sabonis, things happen that could impact the series. And I wonder if for Houston, will they be the team that crosses that line?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
young guys you do have Dylan Brooks and you know that he's going to get really emotional Draymond's going to try to stir it up so I still think that Golden State their experience and you got to you got to respect the fact that Jimmy Butler the way that he played the other night I don't like the way that he handled his divorce from Miami but man his first let's face it his first real important game that dude put up 38 points
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Yeah. So I got to see Houston in person twice this year. One, I was in Houston for a game. I was actually doing it on radio. And that was the game where Fredman Bleak got hurt. early in the game. And the one thing about, I was there for the Nets-Rockets game. And the one thing about the Nets, they play hard. And the Nets took it to the Rockets.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And Ime, I mean, he called a bunch of early timeouts and he was just laying into his players. The younger you were and the bigger name you were, he was getting into it with them. And then they came to Brooklyn like a few days later and they lost on like a last second shot where they completely melted down. But the one thing about him I bet he may. He's been through it before as an assistant coach.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
He's done it. And now as a head coach, getting to the finals with the Boston Celtics, he's going to have that team ready to play. This is not going to be anything that the Warriors do. That's that's going to surprise him. I just thought for the Warriors. I mean, I don't know. You tell me how you feel.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
You know, because when they made that trade and Draymond said, we're a championship contender now with this trade. That's why I thought that game they played the other night was so huge for them. I mean, I'm not saying they can't go on the road. I mean, they couldn't have won on Friday, gone on the road to have to play game one. Could they beat Oklahoma City?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I just think the path for them, which isn't ideal. You're still playing the Rockets. You don't have home court. Whoever you play in the next round, you're not going to have home court, you know, whether it's the Lakers or Minnesota. But I kind of feel like winning that game on Tuesday night like they did, that at least puts them in a position where I think they have a chance.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I don't think if they were playing tomorrow night, or I should say Friday night, and then having to play on Sunday, I'm not so sure they're winning anything.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And I think he will. I think for point guards and for centers coming into the NBA, there's definitely an adjustment period. I think the thing for him, I just think everything has to happen like a split second quicker. Whether it's getting the ball, getting rid of it, or going into his move, there just seems to be a little bit of a delay.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I think he's done really well this season, especially for a guy who the year before, remember, he was projected to be a second-round pick. He goes back to Purdue, they go to the national championship game, and he ends up going high in the draft. What's your take on everything, though, with Kaminga. I mean, let's think about it, Ryan. They play the Clippers, so that's a huge game.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
That's a game to get into the top six. He does not play. Then you play an overtime game to avoid having to play in the 8-9 game on a Friday night. He doesn't play there. So those are the two biggest games of the season, and the guy doesn't play one second. And Kerr played, what, 10 guys the other night. That's pretty telling, isn't it?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Yeah. He, he, he started to get much better this season. You know, the other funny thing about coming is, and I know that Draymond after the game came out and advocated for him and said, no, no, I think he's going to help us in the playoffs, but you know, Steve, Steve Kerr is not playing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I mean, you've got three veteran players and obviously Steph and Draymond are a different situation with Steve Kerr. Cause they've been there for a long time, but you can include Jimmy Butler. Like if, if Steve Kerr, if Steph Curry was saying to Steve, Steve, we got to, I mean, Jonathan's got to be in there. You got to be playing Jonathan Kaminga. You know that he's playing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
So I know it's on the coach, but something tells me like the core group of that team, the veteran players are probably in lock and step with the head coach on those decisions in the two biggest games of the season.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And if you go back to that Clipper game, I think it was 25 rebounds that the Warriors had. And that's a big issue. And if you're not craving offensive rebounds, because let's face it, how many of these big shots and how many of Steph's big shots happen off of scramble plays? where you miss and then, you know, you think you know where Steph is at all times.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And next thing you know, someone's getting offensive rebound and Steph's wide open for a three. And that's why I thought it was interesting too. There were times when like late in that game, Kawhi was just face guarding Steph. And you could tell he was told probably from Jeff Van Gundy was in charge of the defense. Do not leave Steph, no matter what happens.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
The ball goes up to stay with him because Jeff's lived through, you know, Reggie Miller hitting some big threes. over the years in New York where you've got to stay home on them. But the rebounding is big, and that's the one thing that's got to concern Steve Kerr because they tend to get smashed on the boards. So did you give us a pick there?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Just because of the experience, I'm going to go with the Warriors. I do like the fact that they had a little time to rest and prepare for game one as well.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
All right. I just envision every single play, LeBron and Nicola, Luca Doncic surrounding the referees complaining. I just think they're going to get so many favorable whistles. I spoke to Chris Fitch the other day and I brought that up. I said, you know, there's a chance you might not have calls going your way. Will your team be prepared for that? I love Anthony Edwards.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I love the way that Minnesota has played down the stretch. They've been great. Something tells me the Lakers will still I'm not so sure it'll be LeBron hitting the clutch shots. It'll be Luka. Now, you know this. Will Minnesota try to attack Luka the way the teams were trying last year in the playoffs, and certainly the Celtics were successful with it during the NBA Finals?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I think that'll be a big thing. And I think another part will be how well Austin Reeves plays, because Austin Reeves had a terrific season. There were times when they were going to him late in the game,
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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Like when they lost to Chicago on the half-court shot from Josh Giddey, the play right before that with Luka and LeBron on the court, they got the ball to Austin Reeves and somehow Chicago gave up a layup at the rim. Then Giddey hit the half-court shot to win it. I think Austin Reeves, depending on how well he plays, can go a long way to determine it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
But I still think the Lakers, because of LeBron and because of Luka Doncic.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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How do you feel about that? That'll be interesting because if you look at the statistics from Julius Rainer, he never played in a playoff game until he came to the Knicks. And he really struggled. Now, they did win a playoff series with him. That would have been the Cleveland series a couple of years ago.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Yeah, well, most of the national media is picking the Lakers because they're all afraid of LeBron, so they don't want to face that wrath of him. I like how you said you spent 15 minutes talking about Julius Randle. That's you with the ocean in the background. Everything is peaceful. How many minutes do you think they spent on Julius Randle in New York when he was disappearing in the playoffs?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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He was getting crushed. But you know what? He has said the right things. He sounds pretty motivated, and it took a while. for it to kind of work there in Minnesota. But Chris Finch is a good coach. And that's the other thing, like, you know, we are talking about, and I think J.J. Redick had a terrific season.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Here's like a rookie head coach going into his first playoff series against a guy who coached a team that came back from 20 down in a game seven against Denver last year, for crying out loud. Chris Finch is pretty good at what he does. But I think J.J. Redick has proved himself.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
The thing that I worry about the most is just, I just think the Lakers with LeBron, you know, LeBron knows how to work it and he knows how to make plays on both ends of the court when it matters. I just think they're going to work the refs like it's nobody's business. I know they complain that they don't get enough free throws. Give me a break.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I just think a lot of things will, will go in their favor in this series.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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Absolutely. Everything I've said about Michael Jordan, I've completely changed my mind. Now that I think of it, Chris Bosh was just basically a glorified Josh Hart on the Miami Heat. He did make the All-Star team every year. Look at his numbers the year before he got to Miami, what he did. I think he finished 12th in the MVP voting his last year in Toronto.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And if you mean that when he got to Miami, he was willing – to take a lesser role in terms of scoring, absolutely. But the guy was still a stud. And let's remember, on the biggest shot probably of LeBron's career, the three that Ray Allen hits from the corner, I'm pretty sure that was Chris Bosh that got the rebound and did the play.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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So, you know, sees Ray Allen backpedaling the corner and shovels the ball to him. Chris Bosh, look at the numbers he put up in Miami. Look at how good Chris Bosh was, maybe he meant that he just took on a lesser role, but who was not thinking at that time how young all three of those guys were, Wade had already come off, had already won a championship, he already had one in his back pocket.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
But come on now, Chris Bosh, that was a big three. There ain't no question about that.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Yeah. And I think you bring up so many great points. And number one, the whole thing about the bubble, A, you didn't travel. There was no travel. There were no fans. You never played a road game. And the Miami team, like, you know, they were all right, but... Yeah, but I think LeBron, you had your personal chef with you there. No, his personal chef couldn't be there. That was it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
That's why I was thinking he said it was the most difficult one. Maybe it was then. But Ryan, he diminishes what he did against the Golden State Warriors. That was a 73-win Golden State Warriors. That was a great team. They were up 3-1. And LeBron, and I said this at the time, I was at that game when he did it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And everyone was killing LeBron for suckering Draymond into getting the technical foul, which meant he reached that threshold. He would be suspended. I said, if Michael Jordan had done that, we'd all be saying, that's Michael Jordan doing anything it takes to win. That's Michael Jordan outsmarting the competition. So I wasn't going to kill LeBron on that. But for them to win... win game five.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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They came home and won game six, which is impressive, but not as impressive as winning game five. And LeBron, I think he and Kyrie both had 41 in that game. You go to game seven. I mean, you have the block, which is really his signature moment of his career. Kyrie hit the biggest shot in the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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You won a game seven on the road against a team that was never losing at home. They never lost at home during the regular season. You beat them in a game five and a game seven. You're going to compare that to winning in Orlando.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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in the bubble are you kidding me so it was as a lot of people have said it's kind of was the summer league title that they won it was the whole thing was wacky good for them that they won it that does not compare to what he did with Cleveland and you're right it's a way to kind of elevate himself but I'm one of these people and I got to see Michael Jordan's last three championships I think that Jordan is better I think the fact that LeBron's even being mentioned
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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in the same conversation is all you need to know to me that tells me that the guy's an all-time player that people are actually putting you in the same category as michael jordan okay let's keep it moving because i think we covered all that stuff
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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Yeah, I think they went 11-6 without Brunson, that stretch of games. And that was a tough part of their schedule. So they actually came through that with flying colors. I think Bridges has done a little bit better. I think the biggest issue with this team is you look at Hartenstein gone and Dante DiVincenzo. I think they lost a lot of that physical, mental toughness that they had.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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And I think, you know, will there be a time and Tom Thibodeau has kind of hinted at it. Would, would they put Mitchell Robinson out there with Carl Anthony towns? Cause that's something that could give Detroit trouble. And especially the fact that towns spreads the floor because his ability to shoot the ball. I think there's going to be a lot of pressure.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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on towns after that big celebrated trade i think there's going to be a lot of pressure on mikhail bridges with the big trade they made for him and all the draft picks that they gave up ultimately it'll be tom thibodeau who's under the most pressure because even though he's won 50 games back to back and no nick coach has done that over 30 years so for some reason everybody wants to run him out of town but i think he'll have this team ready to play and i do believe
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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that Brunson and Towns having been through it before, and you said it, for Cade Cunningham, the guy's been great. I love the way the guy plays, but you just wonder if that moment, and it's going to get emotional at times, and we've seen Detroit with Isaiah Stewart can kind of walk that line and sometimes cross it, I wonder how much that could factor into it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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I know Detroit did really well against the Knicks during the regular season. Again, though, I just like the more experienced team, and I'd want to see if they do go with Mitchell Robinson and Carl Anthony Towns along the front line.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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Like Ewing with the palm in the ball.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
The one thing that actually, in a weird way, I think helps out Detroit, I'll give you an example. Milwaukee plays... Saturday at 1, and then they don't play again until Tuesday night. So they have off Saturday night, Sunday night, Monday night. So Giannis playing like 44 minutes, for example. That's plenty of time off between game one and two.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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For Detroit, the game will be 6 o'clock on a Saturday, and then they play Monday night. I think that's the quickest turnaround, I believe, out of all the teams playing games one and two. So the fact that they're not going to be in New York that long could help. The fact that, you know, no matter what happens in game one, they can kind of turn around and get ready to play game two.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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I think sometimes those little intangibles could be a factor. But I think for the Knicks, the good thing for them, everyone, all the key players are relatively healthy. I mean, obviously, a lot of guys are carrying knocks at this time.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
of the year, but getting Brunson back healthy, the fact that he was able to play some games before the playoffs started was huge because I had heard when he first got hurt, maybe a week later, I heard there were some concerns that he wouldn't, he wouldn't be right for a playoff time. Now, if the kid could go out there and he's limping, he's going to play because he's as tough as they come.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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He's got, you know, he's got an old school mentality, you know, with his crazy dad who I've known forever. The kid, you know, Jalen is going to be out there. But there's something about this Knicks team where it hasn't captured kind of the imagination of the fans. I think the fans really like last year's team. I think they identified a little bit more with that team.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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But all it's going to take is one little pushing and shoving match, and the Knicks winning a game late, showing some toughness, and then all of a sudden everything changes in a positive direction.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Trade Mikael Bridges for him.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
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I do think this. I do think, let's say the Knicks, realistic scenario. They get to the second round. They lose to Boston. Let's say it's five or six games, whatever it is. Not four. Hopefully for them it's five or six. You look at Towns and the way that he runs. He's dealt with injury before. And you look at Jalen Brunson, who I think is going to be 30 pretty soon.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I'm almost looking at it as like a two-year window. And you haven't won the title since 1973. I would go for it. That's why I understood the move that they made to get Bridges. They were going for it. I don't think it's worked out yet the way that they thought it would, but I definitely would take a run at Kevin Durant. I think Kevin Durant, two more years where he could go for it and win.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And I think if I'm the Knicks, it's been since 73. They haven't been to the final since 99. I don't think they've been to the conference final in 2000. That's a quarter of a century ago. I'm going for it if I'm the Knicks. I'm going to make a trade like that if I can get Kevin Durant.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
So, you know, it's interesting, too, with the way Indiana, to me, had an underrated 50-win season. They kind of floated under the radar with that whole thing, with what they did. And I like the fact that Rick Carlisle, you know, maybe tended to be a little rigid over the years, but he's got this team, and they just go up and down the court, and they're a lot of fun to watch.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Now, they did lose the season series, and the one game they won, that was that Halliburton crazy four-point play that he had late in the game. I don't think enough people, though, have focused on Giannis because we talk so much about Kawhi missing games. Last year, Jimmy Butler didn't play in the playoffs. Well, neither did Giannis. And the year before, what was it?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
He only played in three of the games. In fact, I think they lost every game that he had played against Miami the year before. So Giannis hasn't won a playoff game in three years. And the fact that now with Lillard out, he's getting more touches, but his shots are about the same. you know, they're basically, you know, he's initiating all the offense and it's worked out really well.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
And they finished their season winning eight games in a row. So I, I know a lot of the Nick fans said I'd rather play the box than Detroit because, you know, if, you know, I just think, you know, Detroit worries me. I'd be worried about Giannis. You know, I agree. I think I agree from this standpoint, he's going to be the best player in the series. I think he's going to find a way to,
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
to get it done. And we listen, we don't, you know, they got great shooting around them and maybe who knows, maybe Lillard comes back by game five. I would still give them essentially another two weeks off. I get, you know, I know he's working toward that. So maybe we'll even see him and maybe they'll bring him back where he's coming off the bench to kind of slowly get him back into things.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
So I think Milwaukee will find a way to prevail.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
Okay. And real quickly though, that's why I love like, well, if they don't get out, Giannis should want to be traded. How about Giannis playing a playoff game before we start feeling sorry for him? You know, he's got a whole, I love the guy. He's got to hold up his end of the bargain, playing a playoff game and maybe win one. That would help.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I've been to that place in Oklahoma City for playoff games. That's like as intense of an environment. As you get, and they go so deep and Shaggless Alexander has been in big games. I think the fact that they lost last year in the second round to Dallas, I think, you know, you're talking about the seasoning. I do think that helps.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
So this year, remember they lost that game to Minnesota, which was a wacky game where they weren't, they up 16 with like under four minutes to go. And they came back, Minnesota came back and won the game. Oklahoma City's very next game was in Brooklyn. And you could tell they were going through the motions. And they were down big. They might have been down 18.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I think it was 73 or 74. It was something crazy. So in the fourth quarter... We're being pretty technical. So in the fourth quarter... So Shea's on the bench, and then, you know, Kaysen Wallace, Wiggins, it was like the switch was flipped on, and they said, all right, we got to defend. And it was unbelievable what that team did defensively. That was with Shea on the bench.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
I think they went on something like an 18-0 run. But they went from being a team like, all right, we just lost. We blew a game against Minnesota. We want to hang out in New York. This game doesn't mean anything against Brooklyn. We're not even really trying. Then all of a sudden, what they did defensively, and you know how it works. Come on, Ryan.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
If you can defend during the regular season, you can defend during the playoffs. And people will say, well, who's going to be their second scorer? That's something that still has to be determined. But they didn't have Chet Holmgren last year in the playoffs. They didn't have Isaiah Hartenstein in the playoffs. That was their biggest issue. They didn't have anything along the front line.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
NBA Playoff Preview and Picks With Frank Isola
They got both those guys now. So Oklahoma, I'm going to be very surprised if they're not playing for the NBA championship in June.